On Sunday 19th January, 12 Notre Dame students screened Dead Poets Society (Weir, 1989) at the Hyde Park Picture House in Leeds. Participating students organised and programmed this special edition of the cinema’s re-run strand over the course of 3 months and worked incredibly hard in the process.
Lower sixth students Hazel Wong, Syreka Miller, Gabriel O’Donnell, and Erin Myers, alongside upper sixth student Olivia Grifiths greeted guests as they arrived at the cinema. To encourage reflection on influential teachers, they engaged the audience with an interactive activity, having guests write their favourite teacher’s name on post it notes before the screening.
Upper sixth students Sam Hoey, Ashton Wallace, Lily Elliott and lower sixth student Ronnie Pisko worked back of house in an effective effort to make the event run smoothly. Ashton and Lily were based in the projection room whilst Sam and Ronnie assisted the cinema’s learning and engagement officer, Imogen.
Upper sixth student Natasha Curwen and lower sixth students Taya Tur, and Tom Conlan wrote an inspiring piece on the importance of poetry and self-expression which was read aloud in an introduction before the screening with confidence and professionalism. Three fantastic poems on the topics of conformity and success, education, and ‘carpe diem’ by Martina Aydeote, lower sixth and Giorgia Ameha Shewaye, upper sixth followed the introduction.
The cinema’s young audience officer, Sylvia Barber, reflected on the day ‘The students were amazing and put on a great event which they should be proud! They went above and beyond what we required and brought something different to the cinema, which went on to bring in a diverse audience of current and new visitors! They sold 150 tickets in total which is brilliant. We’ve really enjoyed working with your students and all the feedback from the team working on Sunday was very positive.’
Lower sixth student Taya Tur had this to say about the project ‘HPPH have been welcoming and supportive of this project, helping us to plan and fulfil an interactive screening. We were given an engaging tour that familiarised us with the projector room, the historic building and educated us on independent cinemas. I have had a chance to work on a project I am passionate about with like-minded people, developing key transferable skills. I have learnt how 1960s projectors work, how an independent cinema is managed, and how to plan a creative project.’
Upper sixth student Samuel Hoey quoted 'Hopefully this project will run for years to come, so other students can benefit from it as I have done. Thank you so much!'
 |  |
 |  |
Website By Rejuvenate Digital